Working SLR camera made with 3D printer

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You can make a lot of cool stuff on a 3D printer — small statues, duck feet… and many other things eventually. For now, French design student Leo Marius has harnessed the power of 3D printing to make a real SLR camera, and you can too. It’s called the OpenReflex camera because it’s completely open. All the 3D files and instructions are available online.

All you need to make this camera is a 3D printer capable of using ABS plastic, a CNC tool, and a couple of inexpensive parts, like screws and a small mirror. It takes about 15 hours of 3D printing to get the necessary body components. After that, you’re looking at an hour to assemble everything. At the end of this grueling process you have a manual SLR camera with a fixed 1/60s exposure and a neat mechanical shutter.

This won’t be as simple to use as basically any commercially produced camera ever made. Taking a picture with the OpenReflex is an eight step process, which is somewhat like shooting with a normal camera, but it proves how methodical shooters will need to be. Independent steps include: focusing with the aperture fully open, adjusting the aperture depending on light conditions, priming the shutter by pulling on the ShutterActuator, lifting the mirror using the MirrorAcuator, opening the back shutter, pushing the ShutterActuator while keeping the camera steady, closing the back shutter, and then turning the RewinderButton to get ready for the next picture.

The OpenReflex does work with almost any lens with the custom mount, so it will work with whatever you’ve got around. It might actually be harder to find film than a compatible lens.

If you don’t have all the time or materials to build an OpenReflex, Marius is considering selling a batch if there is enough interest. The cost is estimated to be around 50 Euros.